Raiders haven’t cut Barksdale … but check back in five minutes

There was a report this morning that the Raiders cut tackle Joe Barksdale, their third-round pick from last year. A team official at practice said Barksdale was still on the roster but he was not on the field and was later seen loading his car.

Barksdale has been inactive all three games and could clearly see the writing on the wall when the coaching staff started using rookie guard Tony Bergstrom at tackle last week in practice. With starting right tackle Khalif Barnes out with a groin injury, newcomer Willie Smith got the start against the Steelers and Bergstrom was active — for the first time this season — as his backup.

The old Raiders’ regime’s trade of a second-round pick in 2012 to New England for a third and a fourth in 2011 (Barksdale & often-injured running back Taiwan Jones) looks bad and is fast approaching awful.

There will be an open spot on the 53-man roster as newcomer Tori Gurley was put on the practice squad Wednesday morning.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver, the latest in the Reggie McKenzie pipeline from Green Bay, was among the final cuts by the Packers and was signed to the Minnesota practice squad. He was waived last week.

Gurley, an undrafted rookie from South Carolina. was on the Green Bay practice squad last year. Gurley started 13 games for South Carolina in 2010, catching 42 passes for 416 yards and 4 touchdowns. He caught 14 passes for 112 yards against Vanderbilt, tying the school single-game record for receptions.